This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners in particular who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.
Churchill Downs
Paradise Farms, David Staudacher, and Angelo Carlesimo's Chasing the Crown had a successful third start May 15 at Churchill Downs in a one-mile turf contest for 3-year-olds and up. The Skipshot colt is a full brother to dual grade 1 winner Vasilika.
Trained by Mike Maker, Chasing the Crown had finished fourth in his Feb. 26 debut at Gulfstream Park going about a mile and then followed that effort with a third-place finish April 16 at Keeneland while racing at the same distance. Both of those maiden special weight races were on grass.
With Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard for the first time, Chasing the Crown was more forwardly placed in Sunday's race, rating just off the pace in third. After a half-mile went in :49.12, Chasing the Crown moved into second and began his bid as the field turned for home. He chased down the leader, who eventually faded to fourth, and finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead at the wire in a final time of 1:37.40 on firm going.
Bred by Mikhail Yanakov, Chasing the Crown is out of the Marquetry mare La Belle Marquet. The mare has produced five other winners besides Vasilika and Chasing the Crown.
Woodbine
Tracy Farmer's $450,000 yearling purchase, Adora, paid off in her debut May 14 at Woodbine, taking a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies for trainer Mark Casse.
Ridden by Patrick Husbands, Adora made quick work of the field of seven other fillies, sprinting from the gate and setting fractions of :22.69 for a quarter-mile and :46.17 for the half. The daughter of Into Mischief set down for the drive in the stretch and finished 4 3/4 lengths ahead on the all-weather track in a final time of :52.41.
Bred by Sam-Son Farm, Adora is out of the graded stakes-winning Speightstown mare Southern Ring.
Belmont Park
Peter Brant's pricey Nabokov won his second start for trainer Chad Brown May 15 at Belmont Park. The Uncle Mo colt won gate to wire the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, finishing 3 1/4 lengths in front.
Under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Nabokov rattled off splits of :23.58, :47.65, 1:12.11, for six furlongs while being pressed by runner-up Cloud Forest. Nabokov widened his margin in the stretch and stopped the clock in 1:42.78 on a good track.
In his April 14 debut at Keeneland, Nabokov settled for second after taking the lead in deep stretch.
Bred by Frank Batten, Nabokov is a half brother to grade 2 winner Mopotism. The sibllings are out of the Bernardini mare Peppy Rafaela, a half sister to graded stakes winner Songster. Agent BSW/Crow bought the colt for $775,000 from Mulholland Springs at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Monmouth Park
Making his fourth start for Mr. Amore Stable and trainer Kelly Breen, Magia Nera also found the winners circle May 15 at Monmouth Park.
The Bernardini colt, out of the graded stakes winner Jet Black Magic (Hold Me Back), raced in the one-mile and 70-yard maiden test under Paco Lopez. Magia Nera tracked the pace in second as Mutasallem set fractions of :23.84, :48.24, and 1:13.30 through six furlongs. Magia Nera got his head in front coming into the stretch and edged away to score by two lengths in a final time of 1:43.64 on a sealed track labeled good.
Megia Nera finished fifth in his Jan. 29 debut at Gulfstream Park and followed that up with a second Feb. 26. He didn't race again until April 9 when he finished off the board in a maiden special weight at Keeneland.
Bred by White Fox Farm and Godolphin, Magia Nera is just the second foal out of his dam, who also has a Good Magic yearling and a 2-year-old colt by Mendelssohn .
